By layering authentic reggae, African, and eastern European folk elements over strains of  heartfelt American roots music, The Durgas’ songs cut through rock ‘n’ roll’s insularity and pre-conceived standards.

The brothers Benjii Simmersbach (vocals, guitar) and Christopher Simmersbach (lead  guitar) draw much of their musical influence from their childhood. Both were born in  Bavaria/Germany but raised in various parts of Thailand, Tanzania, Mali, Senegal, Italy, and  the U.S. The Durgas‘ music weaves the sounds and cultures of their upbringing into their music without losing touch with their roots in punk rock.

Hi  Before The Durgas, the brothers Simmersbach achieved wide notoriety with their band A  Subtle Plague(1984-1998), recording for the esteemed independent label Rough Trade.  Along with a growing reputation as one of the best live bands in the U.S. underground grew  their international appeal – A Subtle Plague gained an extensive European fan base that  allowed them to tour for years in a row. On their travels the band performed with a wide  range of musicians including Iggy Pop, Mudhoney, Vic Chesnut, Jesus Lizard, Sonic  Youth and Soul Asylum, to name a few. Their communal way of touring and devoted fans  led to Germany’s Rolling Stone magazine calling A Subtle Plague “The Grateful Dead of the ’90s”.

The end of the millennium brought the end of A Subtle Plague and a  conscious change in sound and musical approach. Returning to the sounds of the folk and roots music of their  youth, the brothers Simmersbach now found a larger palette in which to take inspiration from.Their current band constellation  consist of drummer Török Gabor (Hungary), and currently  Karine Auzier on bass, completing the  line-up. When not on tour, their homes are in Boston, Budapest  respectively.Besides continuing their extensive, international tours, The Durgas are committed to bringing a unifying musical experience to challenged communities around the world. In 2003  they were the first band to play in Mitrovica, Kosovo since the Balkan wars, as part of the ongoing United Nations peace and reunification initiative. In 2004 they took part in the  XV  International AIDS/HIV Conference in Bangkok, Thailand and performed in AIDS hospitals and orphanages. In 2007 they  toured throughout Asia, playing to children of migrant workers  in Mumbai, India, in Sri  Lanka to families displaced by the Tsunami, in Thailand at the Saphan Jai festival, and for  Burmese refugees in camps along the Thai border. They have witnessed firsthand the  profound effects that live music can bring about in people, across barriers of land and  language. Their experiences abroad have led them to start their own foundation Music In Action, which has been supported by U.S. Campaign for Burma, Save the Children UK, the German children’s foundation WeltKinderLachen, Jack Healey (Human Rights Activist) and Michael Franti of Spearhead.

The Durgas music has been featured on several film soundtracks including Soul Of A Century(International Film and Video Award 2003, Premio EuroDoc 2002 for best European documentary) and Hotel Sahara. They most recently scored and composed original music for Into the Current, a documentary film by Jeanne Hallacy. The film was nominated for the Human Rights Award at the 2012 Santa Barabara Film Festival.

In January 2008 the Berlin label Cannery Row Records released The Durgas debut album Back To The Start which was mixed by Boris Wilsdorf (producer of the legendary German band Einstürzende Neubauten), featuring their long time friend Chuck Prophet on one of their tracks.

The Durgas next studio album Burma was recorded in Berlin and was self released in 2010. Produced by Noa Winter Lazerus (The Rolling Stones, Tom Waits, Pink Floyd) in Los Angeles and featuring Jim Fairchild (Grandaddy, Modest Mouse) on two tracks, Burma is a riveting collection of songs, which embrace the music of the world in a pure and passionate way and was written and performed by voices and talents who have experienced the full range of possibilities of music – from swaying rock fans in clubs across Europe to glowing faces of children in Burmese refugee camps – and is the sort of unapologetic, defiantly global music that is intended to speak to people across all borders and nationalities.

The windswept epic driving force of the title track could only come from a lifetime of taking in the world around them, while paying special attention to those who call Burma their home land. The song’s lyrics don’t only signify the group’s most pop-oriented song to date, but also allude to the struggle of a nation in transition.

2011 The durgas release Make Some Noise a Live recording from one of their yearly shows on the Big Island of Hawaii at The Honoka’a People Theater

2012 The Durgas release Digging in The Fire and continue their yearly tour spiel through Europe and Hawaii and some occasional west coast gigs in Los Angeles and San Francisco

2018 The Durgas release their 5th studio album Hold Your Own. The Album was produced (including some magical guitar tracks) by Kirschner Peter Hungarian guitarist of the legendary band Europa Kiado. The Album features Karine Auzier of the French 90’s Grunge kings Drive Blind on Bass and Analucia Dasilva of A Subtle Plague on guest vocals.